Get ready for another action-packed, event-fi lled weekend for the entire family! Healthy Kids Weekend is set for April 25th and 26th and with more partners than ever, its going to be bigger than ever this year. Th ings are kicking off Saturday with some fun cycling events. Th e UNK Alumni Association is hosting the second Bike Bowl since it was revived last year after nearly a decade of dormancy. Register online at unkalumni.org/bikebowl or stop by the event, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Ron and Carol Cope Safety Course, to cheer on your favorite riders. Th e Safe Routes to School Bike Rodeo will also be held in conjunction with the Bike Bowl, so kids should come learn about safety, try the obstacle course, and register for prizes. Arbor Health Plan is hosting a Community Baby Shower at the Kearney Family YMCA from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, as well. Moms-to-be can get information on the healthcare needs that come with pregnancy. Kearney Park and Recreation is teaming up with the Kearney Public Library to host another Storybook Walk through Harmon Park on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Travel through the park and stop are diff erent checkpoints, all while reading Down by the Cool of the Pool by Tony Mitton. Safe Kids Day will be hosted by Safe Kids Platte Valley from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Hilltop Mall. Activities

include games and prizes, Spot the Tot, safety education, therapy pets, and more. Kearney CrossFit will be conducting an agility course at their location from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Have you got what it takes to overcome all their obstacles? Moving to Sunday, Hilltop Mall will be hosting a

Family Mall Walk. Walk the mall with your family for some exercise. Did you know 1 lap =.4 miles? Th e Archway is challenging you to complete their Human Maze from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Stop out and see if you can navigate through its twists and turns. Kearney Park & Recreations Bicycle Sunday will run from Cottonmill Park to Kearney Cinema 8, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Complete your punch card for a chance to win a 2015 Pool Pass.

Stop by the Kearney Family YMCA on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. or Sunday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. and enjoy the facilities for free. Elks Country Golf is also having activities both days, with free golf lessons, healthy snacks, a bouncehouse, and more. Try your hand at putting Saturday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. or Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Visit ActivateBu aloCounty.com/HealthyKidsWeekend for the complete event listing, a printable fl yer, our Unplug Challenge punch card (which could lead to big prizes!), a recap of last year, and much more. We hope to see you out enjoying the activities in April!

April 2015 Healthy Kids Weekend YAB Goes to the Capitol Dementia Safety Workshop

Healthy Kids Weekend April 25-26, Set to Be Bigger Than Ever

Huge crowds gathered for the events of the 2014 Healthy Kids Weekend. We hope to see you there this year!

Buff alo County Community Partners Contact Information

Visit bcchp.org/board for complete board member listing or bcchp.org/contact for complete staff listing and contact form.

General Information308-865-2284 info@bcchp.org

Denise Zwiener, Executive Director 308-865-2280 dzwiener@bcchp.org

Nikki Gausman, Board Chair308-237-2599nikki@safecenter.org

Buffalo County Youth Advisory Board Visits State CapitolOn March 17th, YAB took a trip to Lincoln to visit the Capitol, observe a ligeslative session, listen to Speaker Galen Hadley and Governor Pete Ricketts, and much, much more! To start the day off, half of the group met with the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation, and the other half met with the Department of Agriculture. They then went to the Capitol and were recognized by the State Legislature. Next, they conducted youth hearings to discuss marijuana legalization and the safety and welfare of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students in Nebraska. They heard from Senators Adam Morfeld of Lincoln and Matt Williams of Gothenburg, as well as Nebraska Assistant Attorney General Corey OBrien, Tyler Richard from the Nebraska ACLU, and Drew Heckman from the Nebraska Human Rights Campaign. After lunch, the group met at the Nebraska Appleseed office to learn about the organizations work with the Nebraska Legislature and processes for youth to effectively advocate to state senators. The group then met in the Warner Legislative

Chamber for a special meeting of the Youth Advisory Board. The meeting started off with remarks from the Speaker of the Legislature and Kearney Senator Galen Hadley. A resolution was adopted to create an anti-bullying task force to improve community awareness for bullying prevention.

YAB voted to increase their involvement in drug and alcohol prevention projects, promote awareness of the harms of e-cigarettes, encourage school districts to create safe spaces for LGBT youth in Buffalo County schools, and promote programming that discourages distractive driving. The group also voted to recognize six community members as Positive Adult Mentors, as well as thank Dr. Diane Duffin for working with the Youth Advisory Board to improve youth involvement in democracy.

Governor Pete Ricketts then spoke to the group, discussing the importance of keeping young students in the state, lowering taxes, and helping businesses to succeed. The group then took a tour of the Capital building before heading home. Check out bcyab.org for more information on YAB and the work theyre doing!

The 2014-15 Buffalo County Youth Advisory Board with Speaker Galen Hadley after their legislative session.

Picturing Peace Seeks Photos of The Good Life in Buffalo CountyPicturing Peace is a new project sponsored by the United Against Violence coalition. The project gives Buffalo County residents and visitors the opportunity to share their vision of peace. The United Against Violence Coalition decided to give everyone an opportunity get in on the discussion about what a peaceful world looks like, said Community Partners Violence Prevention Coordinator Mark Foradori. That is, how do people in our area support one another and live in harmony with nature? Professional photographers, hobbyists, and anyone with a camera and access to the internet is invited to submit their photos between now and August 15. Photos can highlight issues of inclusion, caring, and security between the people of Buffalo County. They can inspire the people to recognize our interdependence with one another

and deepen healthy and mutually supportive habits and relationships. They can show the ways in which our culture thrives in harmony with nature. Whatever peace looks like

to you, it can be part of Picturing Peace. The submissions will by juried by a group of PhotoVoice students in August and their selections will be shown at a public exhibition at the Merryman Performing Arts Center on International Peace Day, September 21. Taking interesting pictures is important, said Foradori, but sharing ideas about the things we care about and ways to make them better is the real point of the project.

To learn more about the Picturing Peace Project, visit bcchp.org/picturingpeace or call Buffalo County Community Partners Violence Prevention Coordinator Mark Foradori at 308-865-2290.

The Alzheimers Association, with local support from Buffalo County Community Partners Alzheimers & Dementia Coalition, is hosting the 2015 Dementia Safety Workshop Friday, May 1, from 7:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church. The conference will provide a unique learning experience thats designed to accommodate family caregivers, healthcare professionals, and students. Topics and other points of interest include:An Examination of Safety Considerations. Featuring panel members: Kaiti George RD, LMNT, registered dietician at Hy-Vee; Clayton Freeman, programs director at the Alzheimers Association; Ryan Sothan, from the Nebraska Attorney Generals office; and pharmacist Amy Thompson PharmD, CGP, FASCP.

Driving and Dementia: Assessing Abilities and Enhancing Safety for Persons with Dementia, presented by Beverly Reicks, president and CEO of the Nebraska Safety Council.

A Window into Their World, a program to identify and understand the needs of people living with dementia.

Traveling with Dementia: An Interactive Study, presented by the Alzheimers Association.

An afternoon session with Dr. Julie Masters, professor and chair of gerontology at UNO.

To register, visit bcchp.org/alzworkshop or contact Susie Peterson at 308-520-3146 or supeterson@alz.org.

Registration for family caregivers is $25 before April 17 or $30 after. Registration for students is $20 before April 17 or $25 after. Registration for healthcare professionals is $75 before April 17 or $80 after. For healthcare professionals, this conference can be used to earn continuing education contact hours through Iowa Western Community College, Iowa Board of Nursing Provider #6. Assisted living, long-term care, home health agencies, and companion care agency employees may be able to attend the workshop without paying a

registration fee. The organization you are employed with may be able to cover the cost of your registration and other facility registrations through a grant program offered through the Nebraska Department of Labor. More information about this grant can be found at dol.nebraska.gov. The deadline to apply for the grant is March 31.

May 1 Dementia Safety Workshop First of Its Kind in Kearney

Activate Buffalo County has several events and programs coming up that are all focused on getting youth and adults out and moving. Bike to School Day is May 6th, and after the amazing numbers we saw last year (some schools had a participation rate of 80%!), were hoping even more youth join in on the fun. In addition, walking and biking programs are rolling out in several schools. Safe Routes to School Coordinator Kate Hannon worked with Northeast Elementary to develop the April Active Travel Challenge. For each day students who walk or bike to or from school, they can complete a ticket that will be used in a drawing for a new bike. Special events like Bike to School Day are great ways to bring awareness to active commuting and get

the conversation started, but were also trying to make more sustainable programs and grow students interest

in actively commuting, Kate said. In addition to getting kids moving, Active Buffalo County is promoting employee wellness with the 25th annual Walk Out On Your Job. The event will take place over the lunch hour on May 13 at the UNK College of Education. Walkers will be treated to lunch after a 1.5-mile walk along the trails. In addition, the coalition is working with UNK students to develop a sustainable walk-at-work program to encourage

employee wellness throughout the year. Individuals or businesses interested in registering for the walk should visit ActivateBuffaloCounty.com/walk. The registration deadline is April 24th.

Its an Active Spring: Bike to School Day, Walk Out On Your Job

The Alzheimers & Dementia Coalition is working to provide community members with learning opportunities.

We saw some awesome participation rates at last years Bike to School Day events, and were hoping to see more people this year!

PO Box 1466Kearney, NE 68848

We would like to thank CHI Health Good Samaritan for providing printing and mailing services for our newsletter.

Training in Intervention ProcedureS is a responsible beverage server training approved by the Nebraska

Liquor Control Commission. Contact positivepressure@bcchp.org to register.

Check bcchp.org/tips for future classes.

Coalition Connection

Our fi rst employee wellness education session is coming up! Learn Whats Going on In Kearney at the Kearney Public Librarys South Platte Room, April 14 at 12 p.m.

Register for the Dementia Safety Conference, coming up May 1, by visiting bcchp.org/alzworkshop. Contact Susie Peterson at supeterson@alz.org for more info.

Th eres still time to apply for YAB! Visit bcyab.org/apply if youre a Buff alo County youth in grades 8 - 12 whos

interested in being a part of the Youth Advisory Board. Application deadling is May 1. Contact Mark Foradori at bcyab@bcchp.org for more info.

You may have noticed there isnt a Prescription Drug Take-Back scheduled for April. Because there is no national day supported by the DEA any more, we are looking for other solutions to safely dispose of medication.

We have photos in our future! Th e PhotoVoice reception is

scheduled for June 15th at the Merryman Performing Arts Center. And keep your eyes peeled for info on our Picturing Peace project, a sort of community-wide PhotoVoice!

Upcoming Classes: 4/22, 6-10 p.m. - On-Premise Sales5/12, 6-10 p.m. - On-Premise Sales6/15, 6-10 p.m. - On-Premise Sales